If you let residential property in England, electrical safety compliance is not optional. The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 introduced mandatory EICR requirements for all private landlords, with penalties for non-compliance reaching up to £30,000 per breach. This guide covers everything you need to know as an Exeter landlord — from what the regulations require, through what the inspection codes mean, to how to manage compliance across a portfolio.
The Legal Requirement: The 2020 Regulations
The Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Rented Sector (England) Regulations 2020 came into force on 1 June 2020 and apply to all private landlords letting residential property in England. The regulations applied to new tenancies from 1 July 2020 and to all existing tenancies from 1 April 2021.
The core requirement is straightforward: landlords must ensure that the electrical installation in each rental property is inspected and tested at least once every five years by a qualified and competent person. That person must produce a written report — the Electrical Installation Condition Report — and the landlord must meet specific obligations regarding how and when that report is shared.
The regulations apply to most private rented dwellings in England, including houses, flats, HMOs (Houses in Multiple Occupation), and rooms in shared houses. There are some exemptions, including tenancies where the occupier has a right to buy, certain licences, and some shared accommodation arrangements, but for the vast majority of private landlords in Exeter the regulations apply in full.
The Five-Year Requirement
The regulations require inspections at least every five years. This means the maximum interval between EICR inspections is five years — the next inspection must be carried out within five years of the previous one. The five-year period runs from the date of the inspection, not the date of the report or the date the report was provided to tenants.
If your property received its first EICR in February 2021, the next inspection is due by February 2026. Missing this deadline — even by a day — puts you in breach of the regulations. If the inspector recommends a shorter interval because of concerns about the installation, that shorter interval is the one you must comply with. It is not uncommon for older properties with aging wiring to receive a recommendation of three years rather than five.
Managing EICR renewal dates across multiple properties requires a system. We recommend keeping a spreadsheet or using property management software to track the inspection date, the due date for renewal, and the date on which you provided the report to each tenant. Our landlord electrician service can help you manage this across a portfolio.
Change of Tenancy
A change of tenancy does not automatically require a new EICR, but it does impose additional obligations. When a new tenancy begins, you must provide the incoming tenants with a copy of the most recent EICR before they move in. If the existing EICR is within its five-year validity period and shows a Satisfactory result, you can provide that report to the new tenants — you do not need to commission a fresh inspection.
However, many landlords choose to commission a new EICR at each change of tenancy regardless. This is a legitimate approach and provides a clean paper trail. It means that the EICR on record was carried out while the property was vacant between tenancies, making it easier to access all parts of the installation without disturbing tenants. It also means there is no ambiguity about the condition of the installation at the start of the tenancy — useful if any dispute arises later.
There is one scenario where a change of tenancy does trigger the need for a fresh EICR: if the existing report is unsatisfactory, or if the five-year period has expired. In either case, you cannot let the property until a fresh inspection has been carried out and any remedial work identified as C1 or C2 has been completed.
Understanding the EICR Codes
One of the most important things to understand as a landlord is what the observation codes on an EICR actually mean and what actions they require of you.
C1 — Danger Present
A C1 code indicates that there is an immediate danger present. The installation or a specific part of it poses a risk of electric shock or fire that requires immediate action. A C1 observation makes the overall EICR result Unsatisfactory. The electrician carrying out the inspection must make the installation safe at the time of the inspection — for example, by isolating a dangerous circuit — and you must arrange for remedial work to be completed urgently.
You cannot legally rent a property with an outstanding C1 observation. If the inspection is carried out while tenants are in residence, the electrician may need to disconnect part of the installation until the fault is remedied.
C2 — Potentially Dangerous
A C2 code indicates that the installation is potentially dangerous — it is not an immediate hazard but could become one if the situation is not addressed. C2 observations also result in an overall Unsatisfactory EICR. The regulations require that remedial works addressing C2 observations must be completed within 28 days of the inspection, unless a shorter timescale is specified in the report.
Common C2 observations include: no RCD protection on circuits supplying socket outlets; absence of supplementary bonding in a bathroom; inadequate earthing arrangements; or wiring in a condition that is deteriorating and requires replacement.
C3 — Improvement Recommended
A C3 code indicates that improvements would be beneficial but that the observation does not represent a danger in its current state. Crucially, C3 observations alone do not result in an Unsatisfactory EICR. A property with only C3 observations achieves a Satisfactory overall result and you are not legally required to carry out any remedial work, though it is good practice to do so.
Common C3 observations include: old-style consumer units without full RCD protection (where this does not yet constitute a C2); cables in the loft without mechanical protection; or sockets without shuttered outlets in a property with children.
FI — Further Investigation Required
An FI code means the electrician has identified something that needs further investigation before they can determine whether it is safe. This often occurs where part of the installation is inaccessible — wiring in a floor void that cannot be opened, or evidence of previous alterations whose extent cannot be determined. FI observations result in an Unsatisfactory overall report and require the landlord to arrange further investigation, typically within 28 days.
Sharing the Report with Tenants
The regulations specify exactly how and when you must share the EICR with tenants and others:
- Existing tenants: Must receive a copy of the EICR within 28 days of the inspection being completed.
- New tenants: Must receive a copy before they occupy the property. Not within 28 days — before they move in.
- Prospective tenants: Must receive a copy within 28 days of making a written request.
- Local authority: Must receive a copy within 7 days of a written request.
- Next electrician: You must retain the report and provide it to the electrician carrying out the next inspection.
Each of these is a separate obligation, and failure to comply with any of them is a separate breach of the regulations. Keeping records of when you provided the report to each party — including confirmation of receipt if possible — is strongly advisable.
Remedial Work Obligations
If the EICR is Unsatisfactory, the regulations impose a clear obligation to carry out remedial work. For C1 observations, work should be done immediately. For C2 and FI observations, the deadline is 28 days unless the report specifies a shorter timescale. Once the work is complete, you must obtain written confirmation from the electrician who carried it out, and you must provide this confirmation to your tenants within 28 days.
The confirmation of remedial works is an important document. It demonstrates that you responded to the findings of the EICR and had the problems rectified by a qualified person. Keep this alongside the original EICR report.
Penalties for Non-Compliance
Local authorities are responsible for enforcing the 2020 regulations. Where a landlord fails to comply, the local authority can serve a remediation notice specifying what action must be taken and by when. If the landlord fails to comply with the remediation notice, the local authority may arrange for the work to be done itself and recover the costs from the landlord.
More significantly, where a landlord has breached the regulations — by failing to carry out an inspection, failing to provide the report to tenants, or failing to carry out remedial works — the local authority can impose a financial penalty of up to £30,000 per breach. This is per breach, not per landlord — a landlord with three non-compliant properties could face penalties for each one separately.
HMO Landlords: Additional Obligations
Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) are subject to the same 2020 regulations as all other private rented properties, but HMO licensing conditions may impose additional electrical safety requirements. Local authorities that issue HMO licences frequently include conditions relating to electrical safety that go beyond the minimum requirements of the 2020 regulations — for example, requiring five-year EICR inspections to be carried out by an electrician with specific qualifications, or requiring additional protective measures.
If you operate an HMO in Exeter, check the specific conditions of your licence carefully. Compliance with the 2020 regulations is necessary but may not be sufficient — you also need to comply with all applicable licence conditions.
Managing Compliance Across a Portfolio
Exeter landlords with multiple properties face the additional challenge of managing EICR renewal dates across a portfolio. Each property has its own inspection date and its own renewal deadline. Missing one is a compliance breach regardless of how well managed the rest of the portfolio is.
Practical tips for portfolio management include: recording the inspection date and renewal date for each property in a single document or property management system; setting calendar reminders six months before each renewal date so you have time to book without rushing; scheduling multiple inspections on the same day if properties are geographically close together; and keeping copies of all reports and tenant distribution records in a format that can be accessed easily.
Our landlord electrician service in Exeter accommodates portfolio bookings. If you have multiple properties due for inspection, contact us and we can arrange a schedule that works around your tenancies. Book an EICR in Exeter to get started.